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Porcelain.Street
Known Participant
April 19, 2023
Question

How to get rid of XMP files in Elements

  • April 19, 2023
  • 4 replies
  • 3144 views

So I had to upgrade my Mac operating system and I lost my beloved PS. So I got a trial version of PS Elements and wow oh wow is it ever different and not easy at all. (It's not going well.) One thing that's going wrong is that when I edit a RAW photo in ACR and then save as a jpeg I also get this annoying xmp file. Go away!! Why am I getting that and how can I stop it? Thanks. 

 

Also, how can I get rid of this side by side "before and after" view. :-(. 

 

I got so frustrated I signed up for a PS trial too and that was even worse. I couldn't even save anything as a Jpeg, it saved them as jpf. Wth is a jpf? I'm ditching that fast. No thanks. 

 

Thanks! 

4 replies

Jeff Arola
Community Expert
Jeff ArolaCommunity Expert
Community Expert
April 19, 2023

Are you referring to the Before/After view in camera raw or in photoshop elements itself?

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Porcelain.StreetAuthor
Known Participant
April 19, 2023

Camera Raw. I think I hit a button at lower right and now I can't turn that feature off. In Elements. I can change it to horizontal and vertical but can't get rid of it. 

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Porcelain.StreetAuthor
Known Participant
April 19, 2023

I found a box to check in ACR that says "Ignore sidecar XMP files" so I was excited about this. Checked the box. But then I edited a photo and the XMP still appeared in the folder of photos after I was done editing that one. So frustrating. 

Jeff Arola
Community Expert
Jeff ArolaCommunity Expert
Community Expert
April 19, 2023

Those are xmp files related to the camera raw files (nefs) since edits in camera raw for non camera raw files like jpgs are stored inside the file itself so there are no sidecar (xmp) files generated.

 

If you were using an old enough version of photoshop/camera raw then one had a choice between storing the camera raw file edits in a central database or as xmp files. Adobe eliminated the central database a few camera raw versions ago and now all camera raw file edits are stored as xmp files.

 

 

CS6 with camera raw 9.1.1 showing the two choices of storing camera rae file edits in older camera raw versions

 

    MichelBParis
    MichelBParis
    Legend
    April 19, 2023

    More about the deprecation of the camera raw database:

    https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-elements-discussions/pse-2021-dropped-camera-raw-database/m-p/12113403#M70639

    P
    Porcelain.StreetAuthor
    Known Participant
    April 19, 2023

    Thank you. 

    Peru Bob
    Community Expert
    Peru BobCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    April 19, 2023
    quote

    I signed up for a PS trial too and that was even worse. I couldn't even save anything as a Jpeg, it saved them as jpf. 

     


    By @Porcelain.Street

     

    See here:

    https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/whats-new/2021-4.html#save-a-copy

    To change back to the original way of saving:

    https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/saving-images.html#revert-legacy-save-option

    P
    Porcelain.StreetAuthor
    Known Participant
    April 19, 2023

    Thank you. I will check that out! 

    P
    Porcelain.StreetAuthor
    Known Participant
    April 19, 2023

    Here's what the xmp files look like after I save an edited RAW file as a jpg. There aren't an equal number here as I just dragged a few back from the trash to try to show what I'm seeing. This is in Elements. Is there a setting to stop these xmp files from showing? Or better yet, from being created in the first place? Or can I accomplish that with the link to saving the old way that Peru Bob kindly provided here? Thanks. Also, does anyone know how to get the histogram opaque. It's hard to see. Second photo. Thanks! 

    Peru Bob
    Community Expert
    Peru BobCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    April 19, 2023

    The xmp file contains the edits done in the RAW file.  Delete the file and you delete the edits in the RAW file.

    It won't affect the jpeg file.

    P
    Porcelain.StreetAuthor
    Known Participant
    April 19, 2023

    Thank you for replying. I've used ACR for many years and never got xmp files before. After saving as a jpg I am left with three images: the original RAW photo, the jpg and the xmp. Also, I just opened a jpg that had a xmp (that I later deleted) and the edits are still there. 

    Peru Bob
    Community Expert
    Peru BobCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    April 19, 2023

    The xmp file contains the edits of the RAW file.  Deleting the xmp file doesn't remove the edits from the jpeg, only from the associated RAW file.

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